The present disclosure is directed to structured wire enclosures and, more specifically, it is directed to a voice and data patch panel for use in a structured wire enclosure which is a low profile, high density, aesthetically pleasing jack panel showing only jacks and labeling to the user, while hiding cabling and terminations.
Structured wiring enclosures or Structured Media® enclosures may be the central point for any structured wiring system. Within the enclosure, there are hubs for telephone, video, audio, Internet, networking or any additional electronic system that may be employed in a residential or office environment. Inside the enclosure, patch panels, also known as patch bays or jackfields, typically house cable connections for telephone, video and networking connections. On these patch panels, a shorter patch cable plugs into a front jack while a more permanent cable is connected in the back. Patch panels allow a user to quickly change the path of signals without expensive switching equipment.
Current patch panels that mount in enclosures or in other situations where normal access to the rear of the panel is difficult or restricted have many disadvantages. Such patch panels often have the jacks on the same side as insulation displacement punch down terminals thereby presenting a convoluted mess of wires to a user. In situations where the jacks are placed on the front of a patch module and the insulation displacement punch down terminals are on the rear of the patch module, the insulation displacement punch down terminals are not easily accessible and are difficult to work with because they are not securely located within the Structured Media® enclosure.